Re: Carl Yusavitz, Making Rounds with Pastoral Care Dogs (PlainViews, 12/17/08, Vol. 5, No. 22) Wow... did I ever do a triple take when glancing through this issue. I'd been meaning to send you an article on Pastoral Care Dogs. When just looking at the first title, I wondered whether I might have sent you something and then forgot that I had done so.
In 2001 APC published (in Chaplaincy Today) my article "Making the Rounds with the Pastoral Care Dog." Then on May 1, 2007, I taught a workshop on the subject ("Enriching Encounters with Dogs") at the APC Annual Conference in San Francisco. I wonder whether Carl Yusavitz's CPE intern might have been one of those who attended my workshop. Perhaps I can be of some assistance as they launch their program.
Kay Miller, M.Div., BCC
Maysville, Kentucky
Re: Larry Ehren and Dean V. Marek, An Invitation to Participate in a Unique Spiritual Care Improvement Project (PlainViews, 12/17/08, Vol. 5, No. 22) I wonder if there are any dissenting voices in regards to measuring the immeasurable. I frankly think the whole effort is futile. If you want proof, look at the auto industry that can tell you the nanoseconds to make a weld and the picocuries in their metal content - after a hundred years of this they still can't make a decent automobile! Or, closer to home, check with your own hospital laboratory. There was a time when every employee made a mark for each test they performed and calculations of cost were made on each step of each test. Then, weekly and monthly by great effort all the marks were counted up by supervisors. The main effect of all this wasted time was diversion from patient care - this of course took years to realize and a cultural shift of sorts. The side effects, however are sometimes good. These include collaborating with administrators; giving directors and administration something to do together. Building friendships and relations with other staff who might have similar futile tasks that they should pretend are important. Offering something to patients by way of their subjective feedback can make both parties feel better. Or, worse.
Must we measure the immeasurable to achieve good relations? Of course there are 'good' chaplains and 'bad' chaplains and often the twain do meet. Trying to objectivize spiritual and caring activities is, I submit, a way of pushing off decisions and responsibility as bureaucracies tend to do. Look at the banking crisis - until the near total collapse, all figures looked good and bonuses were perfuse. Everyone "bought in" to the numbers. Sound judgment was vetoed by rising digital curves. So, if measurement is the trend, still stay aware and look at the history of where it has taken many parties. I submit that chaplains can well do without being a statistic.
John Stangle,MA, BCC, NACC Chaplain Emeritus
Re: Martha Jacobs, Can We Measure Good Chaplaincy? (PlainViews, 12/3/08, Vol. 5, No. 21)
I just read your excellent paper in the Hastings Center Report and want to congratulate you, and all the others who contributed to the Nov-Dec issue, for the breadth and depth of concerns covered. I am so inspired, and encouraged by the discussion of professionalizing chaplaincy. Thanks for your leadership of our profession! BTW, I'm sending your paper to my bishop and several others on my diocese's staff that have trouble understanding chaplaincy as a legitimate calling and vocation separate from parish ministry.
Blessings back to you,
Mary Green
Staff Chaplain
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
Houston, TX
Applause, applause for the wonderful job you folks did with the Hastings Center Report!!
Excellent work! Much appreciated I'm sure by many of those in the profession. In your article I appreciated the following points: translation of signs/symptoms of imminent death for families; 29 areas of competency; intense clinical experience; and that other professions overstep boundaries that are the chaplains role.
I look forward to ongoing research in the areas listed in the Hastings Report.
Rev. Joanne Mumley
Winter Park, FL
I somehow missed the Dec.13 issue of PlainViews but I was able to download the pdf file of it. I was then able to go to the Hastings Center Report and the very fine article about what chaplains do. It was very descriptive. One small correction would be that it states that the academic training is in a seminary. Most chaplains I have worked with have a university training. This would include most Catholic sisters, you can see.
Also, the other articles in the Hastings Center Report were quite interesting and good; I really only had time to scan read them and not concentrate on details. A lot of work went into these reports. Work that obviously was not direct patient care but which hopes to translate into better care in a more global way. That of course is the crux of the matter; on the other hand, proving that chaplains are a profession and professionals seems to have been ongoing ever since I was first certified in 1981! Frankly, I haven't seen all that much return for all that effort. Really, this may be measuring the immeasurable. I don't think this effort should be discontinued, only it should be put in perspective and not become an overriding obsession. In one sense, the effort to prove can prove counter-productive.
Thank you for your efforts!
John P. Stangle, MA, NACC BCC Chaplain Emeritus
Re: Jenny Lannom, "'Til Death Do Us Part"…Considering the Justice of Gay Marriage (PlainViews, 12/3/08, Vol. 5, No. 21)
Thank you Jenny! I serve in a Catholic healthcare system, the same system in which I did my CPE. I have always been out about my sexuality. It has never been an issue. I actually find it to be a benefit most days as I have been able to be a source of support, understanding, and hope for the many staff members that come to me, both gay and straight. Since I work in pediatrics in a state that is not well known for supporting the rights of same sex partner parents, they too find a comfort in having me around. Even the occasional teenage patient who has attempted suicide or is in the hospital struggling with an illness can find a comfort in my presence.
But on that night in November as most of the country and even my own city were celebrating the era of new hope and change, my partner and I did not sleep as we kept getting up to watch the percentages in California inching up to take away a civil right that we had finally won. The only group some say, who has had a civil right TAKEN away in this country of freedom.
My partner has supported me as I have gone through CPE, proudly tells people of the work I do, and is the best companion I could have at the end of a long day, or a particularly tough death. We are both involved in our church, the same one actually where we met. We pay our taxes. We are by all means a married couple, but we have no protection beyond what our families and legal contracts would grant to us.
This Christmas my partner came to the hospital with me. I had volunteered to work so others could be off. For three hours we joined a group of employees and families and delivered gifts to children throughout the hospital. It was an amazing joy, and we spread more comfort and peace that day than I could have done in a week. We may not be considered legally married in 48 states in this free country, but that day we functioned as a family spreading the Good News of Christ’s birth to children who had little hope. And it was good that we were able to do it together. We plan on making it our Christmas tradition.
Chaplain Dave Bieniek,
Chaplain Services Dept.
Dell Children's Medical Center
Austin, TX
Both the writer's theology and her denomination would reflect what would be a classic "liberal" view of the gay struggle...it would be interesting if a conservative cpe supervisor with a dmin (if there is one) would be willing to write a response...It is an issue that has long divided the country and the church, as well as individual both gay and straight...it would be interesting to hear conservative views of what can be reconciled with liberals and what cannot and vice-versa. Resistance indeed is a two edged sword, both ego challenging, and ego protecting...Would a conservative supervisor and or therapist, with a dmin or Phd view the author's position as a resistance to the greater goal of wellness for the gay person through long term psycho-dynamic work or CBT as more important for their well being rather than simply staying in a gay relationship or even marriage...Would conservatives also site case studies where they left their gay relationship after much pain and therapy and ended up in heterosexual marriage or minimally celibacy....In a grand rounds several years ago, I listened to a psychiatrist, who taught adolescent psychiatry and conducted research on gay/lesbian originations, quite assertively state, the most recent evidence clearly stated there was no genetic link and that he felt what was needed was to rechallenge the APA and re-invest in the therapeutic task of helping gay and lesbian clients to work through their sexuality issues...He went on to say he was an atheist and did not see this as a moral issue, of good or bad, but one of human development. However, he did also say that the APA was in a deep political "resistance" and this would probably not happen...(of course his colleagues somewhat disagreed but offered little "resistance" because he was a lead researcher on the current evidence.) One must ask about the nature of resistance especially on this issue. How much of is it political and people on both sides are adapting to the group that is the most persuasive (or has the most money), whether conservative or liberal. Is this not also true for the church? Which interpretation of Scripture and interpretation of "resistance" guides a community, eventually public policy and subsequent views of justice? I suspect the resistance to that dialogue on either side will unfortunately take a very long time, with many anecdotal stories on both sides. Meanwhile, there will be much pain for both family and individuals who are gay, and have gay loved ones in this process.
Dennis DuPont
Spring Grove Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland
I am not an expert in Second Temple Judaism, but it seems to me that the contrast Jenny Lannom posits between supposed Jewish rigidity and the flexibility of Jesus and his followers may have a homiletic point but is built upon doubtful images of each group. I don't know that this is an accurate picture of that time period.
More to the point, today one may see a contrasting dichotomy. Three of the four major movements in American Judaism (Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative) now allow ordaining gay rabbis and allow gay marriages (Reconstructionist and Reform) or commitment ceremonies (Conservative). [Some of their affiliates outside the US have not endorsed these moves, and the Conservative movement law committee had minority opinions opposing these moves.]
Of course there are variations within Jewish movements, and among congregations and individual rabbis. Not all Jewish individuals or communities are yet open and accepting of gay people. However, there clearly have been major changes over the last quarter-century. The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, for example, began admitting openly gay rabbinical students in the mid-1980s and the current president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association is a lesbian.
I know that there are debates and changes taking place within many Christian groups. I look forward to the day when three out of four major Christian denominations take similar progressive steps to welcome our family members, neighbors, and fellow children of God.
Rabbi Robert Tabak, PhD
Staff Chaplain
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia PA
I am a UCC Hospital Chaplain and I often find articles in the PlainViews very helpful. I cannot say this about the article written by Jenny Lannom. I am also glad that we are able to express our views in a free country because of the freedom of speech we enjoy.
My view would be considered by my colleagues as conservative about this issue. From Genesis to Romans, the Bible is authoritative and my source of truth. I cannot tear pages out of the scripture that reveal that God Loves all and has made us Male and Female. God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve. I am somewhat taken back by someone who appears to be a professional clergyperson and who can twist and turn around an issue that needs no debate. As the numbers of people grow who accept this lifestyle, so also the outcry is heard because as a Christian I am suppose to love them anyway. I do love them but I can never love their choice to corrupt what God has made us to be. Finally, I can say that as I write this my heart is very saddened and I feel that I am seeing times revealed by our very nature. In the 31 years I have known Christ, I have experienced the need for more of God each day not less. One has to be aware not to offend anyone because we are to love with God’s love. Guilt and shame has often been my traveling companions but I have never asked God to forgive me to hear him say not today. What does all this mean if I except that people want to be married and enjoy the benefits of union when it is between two people of the same sex?
Chaplain (MAJ) Anton K. Ciomperlik
Chaplain Clinician
Brooke Army Medical Center
San Antonio, Texas
The metaphor of the eunuch presented a paradigm I had not explored. So I sought insight from a friend whose spiritual journey has included being a eunuch for more than 20 years. In his early years he reported grieving much and feeling very, very sorry for his self. He reported becoming extremely bitter. In subsequent years he reported having a much stronger gratitude for and more trust in God. My friend came to rejoice as he experienced God consecrating his afflictions to his gain.
He is a compassionate and humble man and points to the struggles he has been through along with God’s tender mercies for enlarging his soul. I came away from my visit with renewed gratitude for the love he radiates. His strength rubbed off on me and I found myself giving thanks for not only “my” strengths but also “my” weaknesses. (I confess I tend to forget the source of these gifts.) After visiting with him I had a sweeter, stronger confidence that if I was more humble or teachable that God could eventually turn my weaknesses into strengths. I left in greater awe of God’s grace and, interestingly, God’s justice.
In gentle irony my friend noted that since he had become less concerned about “his” sexual gratification, “his” sexuality, “his” will and “his” identity that he has been able to spend more time empathizing, loving, giving, listening and caring about and for others. He said, “I am now a little more in tune with God’s way rather than in demanding my way.” Regarding the Ethiopian Eunuch he reflected that in the early days of his own suffering and grief that he would not have gladly met the Lord’s disciples and asked for baptism. He had been way too bitter. Now, however, he feels ready to meet the Savior with open arms and with tears of joy and gratitude.
Because I had invited him to read Lannom’s reflections he went on to note some of the similarities and differences between those who struggle with sexual identity versus those who struggle with an asexual identity. I repeat just a part of what he said with concern for doing his words justice. He noted, “For those who struggle with ‘their’ religious identity, ‘their’ moral indignation or for those who struggle to understand ‘their’ identity, I pray that their hearts might soften so that they might be inclined to seek, to learn and then to do, like the Savior, God’s will. I have learned by faith only when I did God’s will. My will to feel sorry for myself brought no learning, only spiritual paralysis. I think that by being loving and submissive to God’s will I have somehow garnered oil for my lamp. I needed the oil not only to meet the Bridegroom but in order to feel comfortable in God’s presence.”
That my friend’s long term familial relationship is not, he reported, dependent or based upon sexual attraction nor upon sexual gratification may raise questions or expand understanding of our presuppositions about the priorities generally found in our culture, at least about marital underpinnings.
v/r Steve Lineback
Chaplain,
UVRMC
Provo, UT
I so appreciated Jennie’s LongView article.
Thank you.
Amy Jones
Hospice chaplain,
Providence Health Systems
Portland, OR
Re: Martha Jacobs, Can We Measure Good Chaplaincy? (PlainViews, 12/3/08, Vol. 5, No. 21)
I was greatly heartened to read in the current edition of PlainViews that many of the issues concerning the future of chaplaincy which we are addressing in this country are ones that you are also grappling with. The whole question of measuring, or auditing, what we do and providing evidence to back up our claims is at the very heart of what it means to be a healthcare profession today. If we want to be taken seriously then we will have to learn some new skills and a new language.
In Scotland we have developed a series of standards for chaplaincy which address some of these issues. The 2007 Standards for NHS (National Health Service) Scotland Chaplaincy Services sets out how spiritual and religious care will be put into practice by chaplaincy departments. A self assessment tool is included to allow for audit.
Earlier this year the Spiritual and Religious Care Capabilities and Competencies for Healthcare Chaplains was published. This is a framework for individuals working as chaplains to assist in education and training and work based learning. The document is referenced to the 2007 Standards and to the NHS’s Knowledge and Skills Framework which covers all staff. These documents provide us with the first steps towards a professional chaplaincy with equality of service provision and an integrated approach to the delivery of spiritual care, whilst acknowledging the need for the diversity of local need.
I am delighted to say that I will be presenting a workshop at the Orlando summit looking specifically at how these standards have been developed in palliative care. They may not have the glamour of rushing to intensive care but I think we will find that they undergird everything that we do, providing a solid base from which we can explore and create new ways of helping the people that we meet.
I look forward to further developments and dialogue.
With best wishes,
Rev. Dr. Derek Brown
Lead Chaplain
NHS Highland
Raigmore Hospital
Inverness, Scotland
Thank you for providing the Hastings Center Report. This will be very helpful in my ministry area. I work in the oncology outpatient department and plan on providing copies to our medical staff. I have been welcomed into the department by all staff, however, this helps to solidify the relationships. Thanks again and blessings on your ministry.
Dave
David McNeil
OP Oncology Chaplain
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System
Ann Arbor, Michigan
The Hastings Center Report is an excellent group of articles. I personally think that Martha Jacobs' article is one of the best I have ever read. Way to go Martha!
Everyone would do well to read the articles, and if you know Martha or one of the other authors, take time affirm them for their good work.
Rev. Larry Austin, D.Min.
Greenville, NC
Inspired by the Hastings Center essays, I have begun two series on quality in chaplaincy on my blog, "Episcopal Chaplain at the Bedside." One is to serialize and update my article, "“Performance Improvement: Theological Reflections”, (Chaplaincy Today, Vol. 16, Number 1 [Summer, 2000]). The second is a consideration of what about chaplaincy we can measure, and the pros and cons of each measurement. For those interested, the easiest way to access both series would be at http://episcopalhospitalchaplain.blogspot.com/search/label/PI%2FQI. Remember that with blog posts the most recent material will be at the top of the list, and the older material below.
Marshall Scott, BCC
Chaplain/Manager of Spiritual Wellness
Saint Luke's South Hospital
Overland Park, Kansas
Re: Jenny Lannom, "'Til Death Do Us Part"…Considering the Justice of Gay Marriage (PlainViews, 12/3/08, Vol. 5, No. 21) I read with interest the essay “’Til Death Do Us Part . . .” Initially, the author makes a sympathetic case for her position. Unfortunately, she then lapses into the same kind of group-bashing that she claims to deplore.
As evidence of the contemporary Christian church’s exclusion of “gay, lesbian, and bisexual people of today,” the author offers the ancient narrative of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8). She writes that, “eunuchs were the sexual outcasts of Jewish religious society.” This characterization of their status is not universally accepted among modern scholars.
She writes further, “the Ethiopian eunuch had probably found himself despised and rejected by the religious leaders in Jerusalem.” She suggests that he was “cut off . . . by the religious leaders.” Her words “despised and rejected” and “cut off” are coded words. They come from the Servant Passage in Isaiah 53. They infer that the eunuch was a similar Servant figure, something that a basic reading of the text in Acts does not support. The eunuch claims no such status. Nor, do I believe that Philip regarded the eunuch as a Servant figure. Indeed, the Acts passage gives us no clue as to the eunuch’s experiences in Jerusalem, good or bad. It merely reports that he “had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home.”
The author might have continued to read further in Isaiah. “For thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast to my covenant, I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.” (Isa. 56:4-5, NRSV).
According to I. Howard Marshall, in his commentary on Acts (The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries), “Luke’s . . . language suggests that he may have intended his readers to see a fulfillment of Isaiah 56:3-8).” Marshall also writes that this man had gone to Jerusalem “to worship there . . . he served God to the best of his ability” [italics in original]. Given the fact that the man was reading Isaiah, it is unlikely that he had been ill-treated in Jerusalem. Undoubtedly, it was quite the contrary.
The reflections upon the book of Acts, by the author of “’Til Death Do Us Part . . .”, with reference to how eunuchs were regarded, are debatable. That notwithstanding, to make her case she labels and libels Judaism of the 1st century as hopelessly intolerant in contrast to the good, kind, and loving position of ”Philip, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance” who then proclaims the “Good News of Jesus Christ to the Ethiopian.” One wonders if she intended her derogatory remarks made toward 1st century Judaism to apply to contemporary Judaism, even if she does not state so explicitly.
Even before this, the author appropriated for herself a triumphalist position when she referred to the words of the “lawyer in Luke 10.” Without mentioning those sources by name, the lawyer quotes from Deuteronomy 5, and then Leviticus 19, “You shall love the Lord your God” and “[love] your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus immediately affirms these words as the road to life (what Jesus calls the Great Commandments in Matthew 22.) The audience in the 1st century understood these citations as coming from the Hebrew Scriptures. The way she quotes them in the PlainViews article, one might well think that they are the words of Luke.
At the conclusion of her essay, she asks, “How much more time do we need to learn to embrace the diversity of sexuality present in this world”? I do not know the answer to that question. Personally, I wonder how much more time do we need to learn to embrace the diversity of religions present in this world.
Whatever the merits of legalizing same-gender unions as marriages, and therefore having a religious aura to that status, it does not further this cause by perpetuating the same kind of prejudice, and engaging in blanket criticism, in this case against Judaism, which is a form of group-bashing that she deplores in contemporary Christianity.
Rabbi Dr. David J. Zucker, BCC,
Director, Spirituality,
Shalom Park, Aurora, CO
With all due respect, we often wrestle with the sins we do not want to give up and rationalize even against the written and revealed Word of God by redactive criticism.
Chp Thomas Pesaresi, MDiv, MA, PhD
VA Medical Center
Albuquerque, NM
The LongView Conundrum Lannom describes reminds me of this leadership opportunity available to chaplains in creating safe space and services for all people in our institutions. Two students in my past ACPE unit realized the additional staff education and services necessary to adequately respond to a gay couple and a transgender individual. A “Coming Out of Bereavement” group was developed, a workshop was presented to the Access Conference of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization which led to a workshop with the Gay Lesbian Medical Association. A resource we found helpful is the “Annual Survey: Healthcare Equality Index” which has information reviewing necessary steps to support patients and families as well as staff. I’d like to see chaplains take the lead in promoting this survey. Here’s the contact information. Attentiveness has made a difference at VITAS Innovative Hospice Care.
Annual Survey: Healthcare Equality Index
The Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association are seeking participants for the annual Healthcare Equality Index survey. The survey focuses on healthcare facility policies related to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender patients. Topics include nondiscrimination policies, cultural competency training, and recognition of families that are headed by same-sex couples. For your convenience, the survey can be submitted online. To obtain your facility's unique username and password for the online version of the survey, contact Tom Sullivan at 202/216-1594 or HEI@hrc.org. The survey deadline is Dec. 31, 2008.
Learn more about this project: http://www.hrc.org/hei
Martha Rutland, D. Min., BCC, ACPE
Director of Clinical Pastoral Education
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
Miami, FL
In her article, a United Methodist pastor and chaplain, Rev. Jenny Lannom, writes skillfully, intelligently and persuasively. So did the philosophers, David Hume, Voltaire and Bertrand Russel.
While promoting homosexual "marriage," Rev. Lannom writes; "History reminds us that the institutional church is often resistant to accept change," and then goes on to instruct us "to embrace the diversity of sexuality present in this world and learn from one another." Sure!
The argument she supports [is] that since society is changing, the church must change and adapt to society. I beg your pardon?
Checking through The Bible, I could find no passage which states, "Jesus changes with the times." On the contrary, I found in Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ, the SAME yesterday, and today, and for ever."
It is not the mission of the church to adapt to society but rather to adapt society into the image of Christ. Homosexuality is not a new sociatal phenomenon. It was even more rampant when the Bible was written. It was so prevelant in the days of the Greek philosphers that the men were all admittedly bi-sexual if not out and out homosexual. And God saw this activity as wrong and sinful...and condemned it.
Regardless of what God says, Rev. Lannom proclaims; "For justice to really exist, human beings must be able to embrace diversity (homosexuality) as a God given gift." (!) How's that again?
She curiously pairs the Ethiopian Eunuch with homosexuals listing them among the sexual outcasts. Her understanding of this history is skewed. Homosexuals lead an active (abnormal) sex life. The eunuchs have NO sex life. There is a big difference here. And many of those became eunuchs in order to sing higher notes and to be trusted to work in the king's harems.
Her telling statement [that] an issue of justice is in creating an environment where people can accept, celebrate and live out their sexuality in an authentic manner shows how corrupt liberal thinking has become. In San Francisco on certain days, you can see nude homosexuals publicly performing deviant sex acts and parading on the streets and sidewalks in full view of everyone, including children. This is what Rev. Lannom is endorsing. Yep, they're living out their sexuality in an authentic manner. God help us all!
Women heralded a great victory in breaking through the 'stained glass ceiling,' when the church, over a lot of objections, permitted women to be pastors. This is the result. Women pastors overwhelmingly endorse homosexuality and abortion, totally disregarding The Bible and God's law. This article published by PlainViews perfectly exemplifies the problems of getting away from tradition and brining in 'change.' Some things cannot be improved upon.
Rev. Austin Miles
Pastor and Chaplain
Northern California
Re: Alex Chamberlain, A Challenge to The New York Times Hospice Chaplains Article(PlainViews, 11/19/08, Vol. 5, No. 20) Thank you, Alex, for your challenge. You cover some areas in which we have all had questions and challenges. Regarding the authenticity of prayer, I have been roundly criticized for saying that if a patient asked me to say a traditional prayer in Hebrew at the moment their death, that I would do so. Other persons of that patient’s faith tradition held that the prayer was valid and welcomed only when said by specific persons within that faith community, not be others, and never by an outsider.
Your statement that professional guidelines regarding demonstration for respect of patients’ beliefs and opinions “do not always line up with [your] practice” gave me pause. How, I might ask, do you reconcile the ethic of acting against the beliefs and opinions with those with whom you come into contact as a chaplain? It seems that you are using the words ‘respect’ and ‘accept’ as synonyms; I wonder if it might be more useful to think of accepting a patients beliefs in accepting that they have them, even when they may be toxic and would benefit from assistance by a pastoral guide, as you later delineate.
Because we might accept that someone has a particular belief does not mean that we must support its continuance, or even its validity. Recognizing that there is a problem is, after all, the first step in addressing it. While it is deeply painful to recognize that pedophiles and abusers live in the world, we accept that it is so, but we do not respect that condition and we work with every fiber of our beings to build a world in which it is not so.
I strongly challenge your statement that “[T]o “respect” a belief implies that all beliefs are equally valid and must never be tested in conversation…” Respect does not buy silence and tacit complicity. Respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all persons does not mean collusion with destructive, illegal, and/or abusive behavior. It is more respectful to treat a person with the dignity of courteous opposition than to cast down your eyes and retire, a process which may injure your own soul. The steps you recommend – challenge, guide, come alongside – are not disrespectful; they are more respectful than your silence.
The Reverend Jill M. Bowden, BCC, MPA
Director, Pastoral Care & Education
Winthrop-University Hospital
Mineola, NY
Alex’s response:
Thank you for your response. I sense through your words that if we were face to face we would arrive at a similar sense of how we can ethically provide care to someone whose faith tradition differs from our own, or even how to offer compassion to someone whose values and practices are so different from ours that we find them repugnant (child molester, white supremacist.)
I appreciate your calling me out on using "accept" and "respect" as synonyms. In the dictionary "respect" has the additional definitions of "esteem" and "honor." As stated in the article I will always respect a person, thereby giving me the right heart and mind to offer compassion to those with whom I disagree. I also "accept" that someone will be in a different place than I am (rather than rail against situations over which I have no control, thereby deflecting me from the task of ministry.)
Perhaps I came across as more strident than I actually am. Last year a Native American from a nearby reservation wanting a smudging ceremony in her hospital room, but fire code prevented it. As an alternative we met with the elders in the outdoor chapel courtyard, held the ceremony, and gathered the smoke in a five gallon pail. We carried the now cooling smoke/aroma to her room and continued the ceremony in a manner that met the needs of all concerned.
I would still maintain the distinction (which was my main concern in the article) between respecting all the people we encounter and accepting (now using your terms!) that they may hold beliefs and practices that we may not embrace, while not necessarily respecting (honoring and esteeming) those beliefs that we believe are toxic to the individual, contrary to human dignity, or are a threat to those around them. I agree with you that selectively challenging those beliefs actually shows respect for the other person.
One last example from my own setting. In Southern Idaho we have a large LDS population. In the 1800s their founder (Joseph Smith) taught that mainline Christianity's teachings were anathema to God and that all its clergy and professors were on the payroll of the devil. To this day, they consider my beliefs and practices are heresy and signs of a "fallen" church. They are the true church, reestablished. In turn, I find their beliefs fall well outside of orthodoxy, and some of their practices bizarre. When I meet a LDS patient there are opportunities for shared prayer, laughter, tears, and all the ways in which we convey God's love. I accept that these people are fed by their faith community. I respect many aspects of their practice (commitment to family, encouraging young people to be committed in ways that demonstrates sacrifice.) I choose not to challenge the portions of their beliefs that I find questionable, because they are a patient and I am their servant...they are in a position of vulnerability and I have no "agenda" in terms of getting into a theological debate.
A somewhat long winded and rambling response. Rather than edit it carefully, I felt that your interest in my words deserved a timely note in return. May this holiday season provide many opportunist to connect with your faith and those you love.
Alex
Re: John Williams, Documenting the Pastoral Care Initial Visit (PlainViews, 11/19/08, Vol. 5, No. 19)
I agree we chaplains need to chart. However, no one has ever been able to show me where in the JCAHCO regs it requires chaplains to chart. In fact, in a note to my hospital in 2007, Eileen Chabot of the Standards Interpretation Group of the Joint Commission wrote that there 'are no requirements for documentation' by chaplains or pastoral care providers. I chart for the reasons the author of the article suggested, but not because of a rule. It doesn't exist.
Rev. Dr. Charles P. Leger
Director, Pastoral Care
Suburban Hospital
Bethesda, Maryland
Re: Nancy Berlinger, Who's the Boss? (PlainViews, 11/5/08, Vol. 5, No. 19) Thanks for your insightful commentary!
Bon Secours Health System and the Sisters of Bon Secours support whole person care. There are several of us with pastoral care backgrounds who have moved from the bedside to management and on to administration in our system.
With a background in both nursing and chaplaincy, I have just been promoted from Director of Mission Services (Spiritual Care department, Music and Massage Therapy-Emmanuel Services and Faith Community Nursing) to VP Mission. The smaller of two hospitals that I am now located in has never had a mission presence so I feel privileged to begin shaping that presence and experience here.
The Director of Spiritual Care now reports to me. Faith Community Nursing now reports to Senior VP Mission with an expanded role as Director of Ministry Formation; leading the corporate spirituality. With her 4 units of CPE and MDiv, she expands the spirituality peace even further to those who don't have access to the phenomenal corporate ministry leadership formation programs we are involved in.
I see my new role as integral to further shaping the professional identity and essential role of chaplains in the delivery of care.
Especially relevant at this hospital with women’s services - there have been great strides in the past year in my previous role.
Currently, measurement data is sent to our corporate offices on chaplains presence at every death and critical care assessments. Our patient satisfaction scores on spiritual and emotional needs being met is one of the highest in the system.
I requested of my Senior VP Mission to allow me to continue the important role of teaching a one hour session in nursing orientation every two weeks on Self Care, Spiritual Assessment, the role of Spiritual Care and Family Systems theory as it relates to their care of patients. I consider it one of the most important things I do!
There is tremendous support for the essential dimension of care that professional chaplains bring to the healing of patients in our clinical settings, hospice, home health and palliative care services!
Karen Riley
VP Mission
Bon Secours Health System
Re: Tom Kilts, The Non-Theistic Approach to Theological Reflection (PlainViews, 11/5/08, Vol. 5, No.19 )
Thank you to Chaplain Kilts for speaking up from his own perspective and experience, informed by the Budhist "non-theistic" tradition. One beautiful thing, I believe, about the method of engagement and inquiery we have learned in our discipline is that we all have the wonderful opportunity of challengning and being challenged--and thus having our assumptions revealed! Thus we grow and thus we are stretched--none exempted, (if we are willing to submit to this discipline of relational inquiery.) My experience tells me that we are all in for many suprises, not the least of which is realizing what we have been projecting on to others.
Don Moore,
Staff Chaplain
University of Virginia Health System
Charlottesville, Virginia
Re: Joan Paddock Maxwell, Encouraging Patients to Offer Spoken Prayer (PlainViews, 8/20/08, Vol. 5, No. 14) Having worked as a Chaplain with a Hospice for over 12 years, I have come to the realization that praying for each other is a vital way we connect. However, assuming prayer often encourages a dis-connect. Therefore I have learned to offer prayers by saying to the other, "If it is ok with you, I will keep you in my prayers". I pause and wait for permission, and then say also, "Will you keep me in your prayers too?" Prayer is a two way street in every direction. (This exchange is often followed by, "would you mind praying for me now?")
I have found this to be a better way as it lends itself to receiving permission for prayer from the patient and therefore empowers the relationship. While it may be true that most folk want to be prayed for, not everybody wants to be prayed for by the one asking- and as the patient has so little control over their physical lives as they decline, this is one place they are still able to exercise choice.
Along with that, in holding the patient's hand, I always place my hand/s under the patient's. It again lends itself to the control of the patient, as physical weakness makes it more difficult to pull your hand from under another's, and lifting or sliding off another requires less strength to do so, and the patient's now have less strength.
Rev. Pam Hudson, BCC
The Foundation of FirstHealth
Pinehurst, North Carolina
About Rachel Naomi Remen on Public Radio
Bill Zeckhausen asked that the following be included in PlainViews.
Public Radio's weekly program Speaking of Faith had the following interview with Rachel Naomi Remen, author of Kitchen Table Wisdom. When you link to it, click beneath the photo to Listen Now.
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/listeninggenerously/reflections.shtml
Most readers will be very familiar with the following, but some may not be. Many physicians love, fear and/or feel anger towards their patients and the medical system. Many patients feel the same way towards their physicians and the medical system. Rachel Remen, M.D., national mentor for physicians as well as a patient herself with Crohn's disease is a healer for physicians and patients alike. She has written the best selling book, Kitchen Table Wisdom, Stories that Heal as well as My Grandfather's Blessings. She believes and practices medicine as a spiritual discipline encompassing science as an essential but limited part of that enterprise. Science addresses cure, temporary for all of us. Spirituality addresses healing, a life goal for us all, cured or not. Her presentations at national physician's conferences have resulted in standing ovations for years. She teaches at medical school the importance of knowing patients unique stories as well as diagnoses, as fundamental to understanding and healing. To hear her words is to experience her ability to reach our hearts and help us integrate healthy spirituality into our understanding of ourselves, and of others. We may choose to share this NPR interview with our physician(s) among others, besides returning to it ourselves for taking in its depth, compassion and wisdom over time.
Re: DonnaLee Dougherty, CPE in the Zen of Knitting (PlainViews, 11/5/08, Vol. 5, No. 19)
Lovely article on the zen of knitting...but I felt excluded as a male
knitter!
Appreciatively,
Pastor Dan Gleckler
Bethesda United Methodist Church
Baltimore, MD
A request from a Canadian Colleague
I am writing PlainViews colleagues to share this renewed website. I have been granted a 'sabbatical' from the front-lines to fulfill speaking engagements and writing. You might be interested in sharing the site... and responding. The site, www.strathmor.com has a portal to "recent activities" www.strathmor.com/activities.html, "selected presentations" www.strathmor.com/presentations.html and even a bionote www.strathmor.com/morrison.htlm There is a blogspot there too, and I hope to develop that weekly, along with my own preferred links, which will be posted soon. A memorial meditation to the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Conference is found as the most recent blog at www.strathmor.blogspot.com
I ask you to take a peek at the site only if you have time; and if you have suggestions, that would be great. Specifically you might have topics you wish me to note in the blogspot, or a link to consider posting.
Strathmor is just a vehicle, and it is not-for-profit. I usually cover R&D myself. We are available to speak. Last week was speaking at the national hospice palliative care meetings (all posted, including on the blog, notes for the memorial service attended by about three hundred from across Canada). My wife and I did a fully subscribed workshop too ... on Loss, Grieving and Healing, and I have heard back from the congress organizers that it rec'd straight 10/10's in all categories, which is humbling.
We shall be in North Carolina for the APOS (Feb 6-9) followed by a week in Phoenix. Mid April/mid May in Europe. By July will be back in the front lines. I really appreciate the good scientific work done by so many for those of us practicing, and those of us who are popularizers' of new skills and ideas.
Best wishes,
David Morrison
Spiritual Care
PEI Cancer Treatment Centre
Canada
Re: Michele Lowery, Just Another Manic Monday (PlainViews, 10/1/08, Vol. 5, No. 17) I just wanted the share my heart felt appreciation and out loud laughter for and from this article! I am a BCC in Alaska and work both mental health and addictions and I so enjoyed the insight and skill in this small glimpse of one day. It made my day a little lighter.
Thanks.
Fr. Christopher Stanton, M. Div., BCC
Providence Health & Services (Alaska)
I am a psychiatrist with the Cherokee tribe in Cherokee. I practiced for almost 20 years in Durham and Chapel Hill, 3 years at the then new adolescent unit at Umstead etc., and then in WNC mostly since with a five year break in Phoenix AZ, where I am from. My wife is Cherokee and long wanted to move back here and we did when the Tribe opened a mental health center of its own.
I am good friends with Margaret Champion, MD, one of the unit directors at the former Dorothea Dix Hospital and now at the Central Hospital in Butner. In fact “Betsy” attended one of my daughter’s baby shower in the Raleigh area this past weekend and my wife spoke at length in a nice little reunion with Betsy whom we haven’t seen in several years.
I really appreciated your article “My Manic Monday” forwarded to me by a social worker Amanda Burts in Murphy that I have known for about 3 years from I used to consult out there a few times a month.
Again thanks for the article, it was very moving.
Frank Miller MD
ANaLeNiSgi Cherokee Mental Health
Cherokee NC
Re: Special Issue on Mental Health (PlainViews, 10/1/08, Vol. 5, No. 17)
Oh my goodness! Such a timely topic. I "normally" don't work much as a chaplain with mental health issues, but this past week makes me most grateful for the articles posted in this issue of PlainViews.
Intervention with a man who attempted suicide by the consumption of three months' worth of psych meds for Schizophrenia and his significant other who's diagnosed with "borderline personality", plus a friend of theirs who's bipolar--and a long visit today with a man in his late 20's who has Asperger's, make me very grateful indeed for this e-mailing.
Thank you! And thank God.
Chaplain Pauline Morrison
Thank you so much for devoting an entire issue to mental health awareness, advocacy and spiritual care. There is still too much stigma and fear in the larger community regarding mental illness. I have taken to educating patients and families that they have a brain disease, not a spiritual disease or a mental illness since the latter connotates some responsibility in the patient for having the disease.
Other helpful resources not included in the article include www.NAMI.org, faithnet.nami.org, www.pathways2promise.org.
The Presbyterian church USA through its The Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network has drafted a document that can help congregations develop caring congregations. The document is called Comfort My People: a new comprehensive statement on serious mental illness. It can be downloaded from the following website http://www.pcusa.org/phewa/psmin.htm.
Peace,
Rev. Michele Monroe-Clark, LCSW
Staff Chaplain ABBHH
Hoffman Estates, IL
PlainViews - I would like to commend you for this special issue on mental health. There is a rich history of chaplaincy involvement with mental disease and mental health as Rev. Craig Rennenbohm has pointed out.
I myself participated in the transition era of chaplaincy training being mainly in large mental hospitals. This was in 1980 and there is a rich history about this time which needs to be written. For instance, as a Catholic I had a Southern Baptist supervisor, Jim Harley, who had trained under Ernie Bruder At St. Elizabeths in Washington, DC. Ernie had practiced under the auspices of the pioneers Anton Boisen (who was a patient in a mental hospital before being a chaplain in one) and Stewart Hiltner. While I was in my first internship in CPE the program was almost shut down and became a focus of an intense investigation and recertification by ACPE for the fact of Jim Harley and Ralph Carney, OFM a Catholic priest having collaborated by having classes together! This
is quite laughable today, as is the fact that when I tried to attend my mentor's institution of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington for supervisory training, I was turned down because I was not a Catholic priest! It took a lawsuit by a Catholic Sister to change this policy! I then did go to the program but didn't finish for some other reasons.
These were heady times and as chaplaincy training and jobs opened up in regular hospitals various conflicts, now forgotten, were bound to take place. For instance,
at one large hospital I briefly worked at chaplains were not allowed to visit the mental health unit! They say history is written by the victors, and a sense this is true for chaplaincy because there were many casualties along the way and potential chaplains
dropped by the wayside, victims of some of these conflicts. Of a couple of dozen of potential chaplains in first units of CPE that I knew, only myself and a couple of others remain chaplains. Where are these others and how does chaplaincy itself reach out and
exhibit forgiveness and mental health to its own people and history?
Thank you again for this issue on Mental Health.
John P. Stangle, MA, BCC,
NACC Chaplain Advanced Emeritus
Re: George Burn, Chaplaincy: Also Caring for the Spirit of the Organization (PlainViews, 9/17/08, Vol. 5, No. 16)
Thanks so much to Chaplain George Burn for his moving retelling of the way he and his hospital's staff moved heaven and earth (and lighting) to support their staff member and her family. What a powerful witness of faith for everyone.
Thanks again for taking the time to share it and for inspiring me in my work in my little corner of the world.
Beverly Suderman-Gladwell
Chaplain & Pastoral Care Co-ordinator
Parkwood Mennonite Home
Waterloo, ON
Re: Penelope Thoms, Looking Back to Laramie (PlainViews, 9/3/08, Vol. 5, No. 15) This whole story is so very sad... but I really liked the part about the doe laying by his feet...
Kathleen "Kate" Adamson
Executive Director
The University Foundation
2000 West Fifth Street
Marshfield, WI
As I read your article a tear touched my eye too. I sensed as the sheriff and you did ,that Matthew did not die alone. He was held in G-d's hand and by his baptism in Christ lifted to life eternal.
But another tear fell from my eye, as a long ordained Episcopal priest. It was a tear that in your deep disappointment and grief at having the vestry of the parish recall their support for your ordination, not one parishioner, not one priest reached out to you to listen to dry your tear.
Would that I had known of your personal pain. Take this response as a call that would have come to you had I heard a sister was denied her call.
In peace.
Rev. Peggy Muncie
Acting Director,
Pastoral Care
St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital
New York, NY
The look back offered by Rev. Thoms is touching, doubtful and confusing. The doe beside Matthew is extremely heart warming. The presumption that the murder was based upon Matthew being gay remains doubtful according to 20/20 unless we just assume that if Matthew was killed it was because he was gay. That Thoms own victimhood as intertwined with Matthew’s gayness makes everything more complicated. The Episcopal world has created myriads of victims as the liberals have abused power to squeeze out the conservatives and vice versa throughout our nation. The murderer sees the event as being chemically (meth) induced and says he was looking to score big on money and drugs that night and Matthew frustrated him. The community acknowledges Matthew as having been heavily into drugs, too. Meth induced beatings are not rare among friends. Drug use does not rule out hate but questions abound The labeling of a hate crime is an interesting theological, not to mention legal, gyration. The term hate crime is doubtful in this case as so many in the community considered the primary murderer to be bisexual and the consuming evidence of his motivation to be drug acquizition. (If the term hate crime label is inappropriately applied does the mislabeling become form of hate crime?) . Finally, the end of the reflection left me totally confused. What exactly about all this has left God smiling? Good heavens, I hope God is not smiling at the failure of God’s children in Laramie to not get along. It is good that the Matthew Shepherd Foundation continues to educate young and old about the importance of words, as Thoms says, but in this case the words of Thoms have created confusion in me.
Steven Lineback, Chaplain
Utah Valley Regional Medical Center,
Provo, Utah
Penelope’s response:
Steve - My commentary was simply a reflection on my personal experience: the collateral damage that can occur in religious institutions that profess to be doing "God's work," ignoring the message of Jesus' embracing of the "other." Personally, Steve (my husband) and I lean towards a more pragmatic analysis of the murder. We were at the trials and drugs did not become an issue; albeit they may have been part of the bigger picture. Personally, we believe that Matthew's being small and rich made his attackers approach him in the first place. They were clearly, literally in this railroad town, from the "other side of the tracks.." That he became a martyr IN SPITE OF his family's desire to mourn him in private shows that the media and the greater national culture needed to address his murder as a hate crime.
Ten years later we continue to have mixed feelings about the perps' intention. They may question their motivations as well; if they question them at all. The lives of three young men were destroyed. No, God does not smile at that. But that God was able to offer some small bit of comfort for Matthew as he hung on that fence during that long night; that the doe stayed until the sheriff - a woman - was able to remove him from his place of dying; that there is now in place a foundation that educates the young about the power of their words, those things make God smile.
Thank you for your insights
Rev. Penelope A. Thoms
News from the Ukraine
As I had informed you in my previous e-mails, developing palliative care, and working in cooperation with different churches on the theme of medical chaplaincy, we need support of related organisations. We plan to publish information on bereavement, spiritual support at the end-of-life, and many other activities. We are in the contact with European Network of Chaplains and Rev. Stavros Kofinas who knows about our work. If possible, let us know whether you are interested in the cooperation with Ukraine and then if possible we shall discuss details of our further cooperation. Meanwhile let me send you our last news about event organised by All-Ukrainian Council for patient rights and safety and All-Ukrainian Association of palliative care (on 11 September 2008).
On the initiative of Minister of health of Ukraine Vasyl Knyzewich, All-Ukrainian Council for patient rights and safety and All-Ukrainian Association of palliative care the first meeting of the Minister with representatives of non-governmental and religious organizations active in Ukraine was organized. The event was organized in the form of the round table on the topic "Palliative care: spiritual aspects: Spiritual care to incurably ill and dying". About 10 different Churches participated in the meeting, uniting in the face of the common problem - improving of life quality of incurably ill and their families.
The work on establishing a system of palliative and hospice care starts in Ukraine. This system is directed on ensuring of medical, psychosocial and spiritual services for improving of life quality of those with incurable diseases and their families. The main task of palliative care is - pain control, care, psychological, social, spiritual support.
During the meeting the actual questions of palliative and hospice care development were discussed, among them, the patient right aspect of getting spiritual support.
The work on preparation of the Palliative care development national plan for 2010-2014 was started. To elaborate the draft documents, the Coordination Council on palliative care was created, and representatives of Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social affairs, Ministry of internal affairs, representatives of Churches and religious organizations as well as non-governmental organizations joined the work of this group.
During the meeting on 11 September 2008 Minister of Health of Ukraine Vasyl Knyzewitch underlined necessity of solving this problem, stressing importance of the dialogue about the spiritual support in health care facilities. The main theme for discussion was spiritual aspect in education of medical workers and society at whole. Participants of the round table underlined that establishing of social responsibility can be done on the ground of such human values as charity and support of neighbour.
Representatives of different Churches and religious organizations expressed readiness to support events dedicated to celebration of the World palliative and hospice care day (11 October 2008). During the event the Declaration about medical chaplaincy in the sphere of palliative care was announced.
This event continues a wide range of events initiated by All-Ukrainian Council for patient rights and safety and All-Ukrainian Association of palliative care. In 2006, the meeting of representatives of different churches in Kyiv was organized, and many prayers were initiated; in 2007, the international French-Polish-Ukrainian conference on the theme
of palliative care, medical chaplaincy and humanization of medical care was organized in Kyiv; in January 2008 the official visit of representatives of Ukrainian Orthodox Church was organized to Paris, where questions related to collaboration between Church and State were discussed.
Thank you very much.
Alexander Wolf
Palliative care program director
All-Ukrainian Council for patient rights and safety
Re: Paul Tarr Payway, Loss and the Ministry of Caregiving (PlainViews, 9/3/08, Vol. 5, No. 15) I think there is nothing romantic about death and loss. True, ministering to the grieving touches us at profound depths, but romantic is the wrong word.
Overall, I appreciated his ministry to the family and his service of naming, the moreso having been a perinatal chaplain myself.
Brown Kinnard, retired BCC
Dexter, Michigan
Re: Penelope Thoms, Looking Back to Laramie (PlainViews, 9/3/08, Vol. 5, No. 15) I just read Penelope Thoms’ offering in the recent issue of PlainViews. My heart broke open a second time over this deeply tragic event—the first time being when the news of what happened in Laramie reached me here in Connecticut. What a powerful, potent, courageous model of hope she is to those of us who know the difficult path of vocation, and who yearn deeply for the healing of our fragmented world! Blessings to her!
Marcia Klepper-Smith
Chaplain
Manchester Memorial Hospital
Manchester, CT
Seeking colleagues to go to Ghana
I am the chaplain at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The largest hospital in Ghana with a bed capacity of about 2000. I will be grateful if other chaplains could come to Ghana to help our chaplaincy set up in hospitals.
We need support to help build effective and efficient chaplaincy to promote health care.
Thank you and God bless you.
Rev Nana Kwesi Bart-Plange
Hospital Chaplain
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital
plangenk@yahoo.com
Re: Joan Paddock Maxwell, Encouraging Patients to Offer Spoken Prayer (PlainViews, 8/20/08, Vol. 5, No. 14) A unique perspective, one I will incorporate.
Thank you,
Chaplain Sharon Lund
West Suburban Medical Center
Oak Park, IL
Resources Sought
I am part of a leadership/training/teaching/supervising program, the Spiritual CareGivers Program for a local hospital in this area. This SCGP trains people, volunteers, who feel a calling to visit, listen, and pray (if appropriate) with patients and their families.
We are looking for training materials and/or a program similar to the Stephen Ministry training materials used in doing comparable training or education for people in faith communities. The hospital is Interfaith and Non-denominational and yet Christians make up the majority of the patients and also the volunteers. A Christian curriculum could work for us as we could and would add Interfaith materials.
Any suggestions and/or leads you could give us for teaching materials would be highly appreciated.
I've been reading PlainViews for 3-4 years now and greatly enjoy your publication. Very useful, thoughtful and stimulating articles.
Thank you very much.
Judith Bouffiou
Tumwater, WA
judeb@zhonka.net
Re: Curtis Freed, Entrustment Ceremony (PlainViews, 8/6/08, Vol. 5, No. 13)
I too had a brief time to prepare such a ceremony. In my case the couple was very young and had not known they were pregnant. They were clear that they were not at a point in their lives (they were both working and going to college) where they could offer this beautiful baby what they wanted to offer a baby. Here is the prayer I prepared:
Covenant of Love and Thanksgiving and Release
Loving God, we come before you today in tears and in hope.
You have blessed us with a beautiful daughter/son, ________,
flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone.
For her/him, we give you thanks.
Today we enter into a sacred covenant with ________ and ________. They will raise our beloved _____ as their own, love her/him and cherish her/him, protect her/him and guide her/him. She/he will be to them flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone.
For them we give thanks.
May their home be a sanctuary, filled with Your Presence,
where _____ will come to know You and love You.
We pray that you give us wisdom and courage to be a light to her all the days of her life.
May she become strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and may Your grace be upon her.
_____,
May the grace of God watch over you;
May the peace of Christ fill your heart;
May the presence of the Holy Spirit fill your sleep
And speak in your dreams.
Amen
Therese M. Becker, MA, M. Div.
Manager of Spiritual Care Services
Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center
Santa Clara, CA
Re: Response to inquiry about Pandemic Flu Preparedness (TalkBack, 8/6/08)
The Department of Chaplaincy Services and Pastoral Education at the University of Virginia Health System has done several things to address this concern:
1. We used our yearly Pastoral Care Week educational event for community clergy and care providers to make a variety of educational presentations around the theme of “Pandemic flu”. Attendees listened to professionals with expertise in various aspects of pandemic flu address such themes as: medical aspects of flu; epidemiology, (how a flu outbreak moves through and effects populations of people); psychological first aid and disaster response by clergy and care givers and the place that volunteer and community groups such a churches, can have in disaster preparedness and response.
2. The second thing we have done is to revisit our Departmental Disaster Plan with the direction of our department head, Dr Richard Haines. We have looked at our protocols and have considered such concerns as how we would triage our staff if there were a pandemic flu outbreak. We, discussed, for example, calling staff in to work in the higher risk situation of the hospital that do not have young children or others such dependents at home.
3. We have also worked with our Social Work Department and the Disaster Response Coordinator for our facility to develop dry runs and “desktop simulations” of a possible pandemic event that tests the actual workings of our protocols and communication for such an event.
Thus, we continue to work with hospital administration, community leaders, area clergy and other collaborative teams to anticipate, educate and prepare ourselves for any such eventuality.
Donald E. Moore, B.C.C.
Staff Chaplain,
University of Virginia Health System
Charlottesville, Virginia
Re: Steve Nolan, Chaplaincy in the United Kingdom: Religious Care or Spiritual Care? (PlainViews, 7/16/08, Vol. 5, No. 12) In principle, I think spiritual care should be separate from care by a specified religious practitioner. Our chaplains are all mandated by a specific faith community and are then commissioned by the Hospital. I say "we minister to people of all faiths & of none." But in a hospital setting the linkage may be helpful to spiritual care departments. It is not just having an "in house" capability--knowing and working with community clergy as they attend to the religious needs of hospitalized congregants--when a specific religious practitioner is needed. This linkage provides Spiritual Care Services with important political support. The commissionings takes place in a ceremony every year or few depending on turn over. They involve senior Faith Community Leaders, top hospital officials & board members. The fact is, Spiritual Care Services has community linkages like no other service. We can fill the hospital's amphitheater as no other service can. Senior Management and the Board are aware that a fund-raising campaign can be helped if community clergy support it from the pulpit.
While we work at showing why Spiritual Care Services delivers spiritual care in a more efficient, sophisticated, effective manner than even caring spiritual individuals without chaplaincy training and certification can, the Faith Communities become important at the level of Senior Management where a tight budget must be apportioned.
This seems a mildly distasteful reality comparable to the need to follow the personal policies of the Hospital's Administrative Manual same as any other service funded through the Hospital by the Ministry of
Health & Long Term care.
Jonathan Wouk, ret.
Ottawa, Canada
One of the most lamentable trends is the growing allergy to the word "religion" and substituting the word "spirituality". The word "religion" implies duties, obligations, responsibilities, structure, limits and boundaries. In the words of Rabbi Daniel Gordis, it implies constancy, intensity and non-negotiability. Spirituality implies having all of the "goodies" of a relationship with G-d without any of the responsibilities. It is akin to a young couple "shacking up" rather than entering the covenant of marriage. One has all the "goodies" of marriage such as sex and companionship without any of the responsibilities.
The real dichotomy is the difference between a visiting clergy and a trained chaplain who is an integral part of the care team. Believe me, the medical world understands specialty. One would not go to an ophthalmologist to treat a case of hemorrhoids! So the medical world must understand the difference between a visiting clergy and a certified chaplain.
Rabbi Louis J. Feldman, Ph.D.
Retired Chaplain
Board Member
Scholl Institute of Bioethics
Los Angeles, CA
Re: William Scrivner, A Clinical Advancement Program for Chaplains? (PlainViews, 7/16/08, Vol. 5, No. 12)
At the Ottawa Hospital, (Ottawa, Canada) Spiritual Care Services facilitates the activities of Faith Communities within the Hospital setting while itself being concerned with spiritual care.
All I can say is WOW! This is a wonderfully innovative, creative program. I am going to meet with my VP of Human Resources to discuss very soon. Thanks for the idea. Doreen
Doreen M. Duley, BCC
Director of Pastoral Care
Ottawa Hospital
Ottawa, Canada
Re: Steve Brown, Blessing of the Hands Service (PlainViews, 7/2/08, Vol. 5, No. 11)
Mercy Health Partners in Muskegon Michigan provides tuition assistance and other support for nurses who are continuing their education. Each year the Nursing Professional Practice Committee sponsors an open-house celebration for RNs who have completed their BSN, MSN or DNP degree, and for LPNs who have become RNs. Since the beginning of this program six years ago, I have been invited to provide a
"Blessing of Hands" service. It is below:
Please join me in prayer:
Blessed are you, O God, in glory above all in heaven and on earth: We thank you for what you have done in the creation, preservation, redemption, and governance of the world. We thank you for graciously calling each of us to join you in your work by loving and serving others. We thank you for bringing to us those in need of care and healing, and for enabling us to minister to them. Today we thank you especially for the dedication, discipline, and diligence of these (x-number) nurses. We thank you for calling them to this ministry -- the profession of nursing - and for guiding and strengthening them in this pursuit. We thank you for the education and training that they have received, and for the knowledge and the skill that they have acquired. We celebrate with you, O God, what they have accomplished in attaining their (BSN, MSN, etc.) degrees. We ask you now, O God, to join us in blessing them. We ask that your blessing may go with them and bless their work. Let them be a blessing, and convey your blessing, to their patients and to their co-workers. Today we celebrate what these, your servants, have accomplished, and we rejoice in what they will do in the days ahead, until that day when you bring all good work to completion in your eternal community. Amen.
(Individual blessing and anointing of each nurse's hands):
In the Name of God, Compassionate and Merciful, Almighty and Righteous, I bless you. I anoint your hands that you may have subtle strength and sure skill as you touch others with God’s Grace. May your fingers feel the pulse of blood through arteries and also sense the movement of emotions in the spirit. May your touch bring comfort to the body as well as solace to the soul. May you always be adept with needle and astute with pen. God bless the work of your hands and God bless you Now and always, Amen.
Let us pray together:
God of healing, wholeness, and holiness: These nurses reflect your glory – In ability and knowledge, in passion and compassion, in strength and tenderness. We praise you for them, and we honor them today. We ask you to watch over them, to give them your Spirit, to strengthen them in the practice of their profession, and to be for them a source of hope and joy. We pledge our prayerful and practical support to them and to their work. We pray that as they work to cure and comfort, speak to instruct or soothe, and touch to heal with your love and power, that they may be renewed, blessed, and fulfilled. Lay your strong and gentle hand upon them, now and always, Amen.
Jim Johnson, Lead Chaplain
Mercy Health Partners
Muskegon, Michigan
Rev. Steve Brown describes a meaningful and "touching" hand-blessing ceremony. (His suggestion of baby-oil gel in a squeeze bottle is a most helpful practical suggestion, too.) Our pastoral care department takes the hand-blessing to units. We check with charge nurses and publish the times we will be on the unit. Some team members like to gather quickly in their break room; others prefer that we circulate and bless hands individually or in small groups. We include any discipline, and physicians, social workers, housekeepers, and others participate. Staff members often respond with surprise and gratitude when we draw their attention to their beautiful hard-working hands, thank them personally, and bless their hands.
Rev. Mardie Chapman
St. Anthony's Hospital
St. Petersburg, FL
Seeking Non-Denominational Resources
I serve as the part-time Pastoral Care Coordinator for a small hospital in midcoast Maine. I would like to have more devotional literature available in our chapel, the kinds of pamphlets and booklets that can be taken home if people choose but that are also not too expensive. I currently buy Care Notes and Jewish Lights. I also receive a few complementary copies of Our Daily Bread (RBC Ministries), Forward Day by Day (Episcopal Church), and the Unity Daily Word (Unity Church) each month. Jehovah Witnesses leave one copy of each of their publications each month as well. It is, aside from the Jewish Lights, a very Christian-heavy collection.
Do you or your subscribers know of other pamphlets/magazines that are non-Christian or non-denominational that are particularly suitable for a hospital setting? This is not a very diverse area religiously, with many people practicing what I call "Cultural Christianity" and others who are more anti-church and established religion than they are pro-faith. Nevertheless, when questions and issues of a spiritual nature surface in the hospital setting people do come to our Quiet Room/Chapel for solace and I would like to have literature that resonates with them.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Blessings,
Laura
The Rev. Laura M. Edwards
Pastoral Care Coordinator,
Pen Bay Healthcare
Hospice Chaplain, Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice
ledwards@penbayhealthcare.org
Pandemic Flu Preparedness Inquiry
The question has come to me from our hospital administration as to the role of pastoral care if and when the pandemic flu hits our area… Can anyone offer suggestions?
Rev. Paul M. Hugger
Director, Pastoral Care and the
*Wilkes Healthy Carolinians Council
Wilkes Regional Medical Center
North Wilkesboro, NC
PHUGGER@wilkesregional.org
Re: A Reluctant Griever, Virgil Fry (PlainViews, 7/2/08, Vol. 5, No. 11) How wonderful to read your story, Chaplain Fry! How refreshing to read about your thinking and your feelings now that you have lost your wonderful wife!
Thank you so much for articulating in such a sincere and honest way how you feel after the death of your wife and the fact that we all are entitled to grieve in our own special way. As a hospice chaplain/grief and bereavement counselor I do hear often how some christians feel about grieving: We shouldn't cry...it's a sign of doubt in God and his promises...we should let "her"/"him" go...release her...him...be glad in knowing that "she's in a better place"..."in the presence of God"..."not suffering"...etc.,
Peace to you!
Rev. Kenneth O. Garcia, M. Div.,
Mission Hospice
Grief and Bereavement Counselor/Manager
Chaplain
Re:
Respecting Differences While Celebrating Similarities, George Burn (PlainViews, 7/2/08, Vol. 5, No. 11)
Kudos to Chaplain George Burn for his visit to the European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy (ENHCC) meeting in Tartu, Estonia. Having just presented a seminar on "The Spiritual Care of Elderly Patients, esp. Dementia Patients" to the Association of Professional Health Care Chaplaincy of Latvia, I heartily concur that Chaplains Dana Kalnina-Zake, N. Olijevska, V. Kaupuza and the other members are most open to sharing multi-cultural pastoral care experiences. Immersing myself in their culture for 17 days, with a Latvian chaplain CPE classmate, certainly expanded both me and my pastoral care. And yes, they would love to have more chaplains from around the world share experiences of pastoral care in person, in their country.
Chaplain Donna Zuroweste
Aquinas Institute of Theology
St. Louis, MO
Re: Musician's Ears; Chaplain's Ears, Sandra Katz (PlainViews, 7/2/08, Vol. 5, No. 11)
I thoroughly enjoyed the connection of musicianship and the Chaplaincy. I was transported back to my college days. At one time I also wanted to be involved in the music ministry. I will never forget my theory professor saying; “Pianissimo Mr. Smith, pianissimo!” during our sight singing times.
I would suggest that there are also time we, as Chaplains, need to be student conductors. As we orchestrate the different things that are happening around us. We assist other disciplines as we go up and down the emotional scales of the lives of our patients and family. There may be a time to increase the tempo or volume, depending upon the situation and, as conductors; we often see the whole “piece” better than others.
Then, too, we are also playing the big bass drum. We are keeping a cadence that is in keeping with the Great Composer’s intent for the “piece”. We assist our staff in keeping centered on the main beat of what all is happening around us.
Finally, we are the “tonic” cord for all that need our “presence”. We sort-of become a “perfect authentic cadence” so they can come “home” to resolution.
Steve Smith, BCC
Chaplain
Liberty Hospital
Liberty, Missouri
Re: A Psalm of Lament, Michele Monroe-Clark (PlainViews, 7/2/08, Vol. 5, No. 11)
Six years ago, this very month, I too was grieving. I grieved the death of my only son, Mark 18, of injuries received in a collision with a tractor-trailer rig. This was before we met Mark's right kidney recipient, Caitlin.
Ann Weems' Psalms of Lament and Nicholas Woltersdorff's Lament for a Son were constant companions. I recall coming to work, closing my office door, reading aloud one of Ann's contemporary Lament Psalms, and weeping openly.
My heart resonates with Chaplain Michele Monroe-Clark as she laments personal and professional losses due to suicide, illness and change. Blessings, PlainViews, for publishing this helpful article!
Thanks, Phil
Rev. Phil Pinckard, M.Div.
Thank you for the fully expressive personal psalm and your openness in lamenting. Your writing reminds me of Psalm 39. I read that psalm once to a dying patient and asked the patient their thoughts on it. The patient exclaimed: "That is reality." Sometimes life happens. Keep breathing in the midst. Remember to exhale.
Amy Jones, BCC
hospice chaplain
Providence Hospice
Beaverton, OR
Re: Summer Reading, Nancy Berlinger (PlainViews, 7/2/08, Vol. 5, No. 11)
Nancy Berlinger's review of this book, And a Time to Die, is right on target. I read this book a few years ago and recommended it to our ethics committee as well as the Director of Medical Formation at the hospital. Before I retired I placed a copy in the Medical Library.
While reading the book I felt the author had followed me around our hospital viewing what was so common in the end of life issues for our patients.
Dr. Joanne Bellaire, BCC, retired
Livonia MI
Re: A Blessing of the Hands, Steve Brown (PlainViews, 7/2/08, Vol. 5, No. 11)
Each year during Nurses’ Week, the Vice President of Nursing joins me for responsive reading of this blessing over the PA system in the hospital. This has to be done at least twice, to accommodate the rotating A/B shifts, and we do it at shift change, to catch 7pm to 7am folks, as well as the day-shift staff.
We do a written plan which all patient care units receive beforehand, then I make a preparatory announcement about 15 minutes before the Blessing begins, asking all staff to gather at nursing stations around the hospital. We invite physicians and other staff to join in, and mention them in the prayer of blessing that follows the formal litany.
This has been a high point for our yearly celebration for the last six years.
Rev. John E. Renfro, DMin, BCC
Director of Pastoral Services
Conway Medical Center
Conway, SC
New Journal Available On-line!
Rev. Cheryl Holmes, CEO of Healthcare Chaplaincy Council of Victoria, informed PlainViews that their new journal, Australian Journal of Pastoral Care and Health, is available on-line. You can subscribe to it by going to: www.pastoraljournal.org.au
Re: Response to The Importance of Presence – Even During Rounds, Fred D. Wilcoxson (PlainViews, 6/18/08, Vol. 5, No. 10)
In Hospice, the clinical care team meets each week to discuss the needs of the patients and their families and to update the plan of care. As the chaplain for the team, I provide a time of centering and reflection at the beginning of the team. After awhile, the staff would ask for copies of my meditation. The requests for copies became the idea for a more extensive piece to provide inspiration and support for our work. "Soul Notes" was born from those requests. I provide a 4 page inter office newsletter each week that provides inspiration, support, and humor for the team. Soul Notes can be personalized according to the present needs of the office, the issues of the day and specific ways to pay attention to journeys we travel each day with our patients.
Karen Pickler
Good Shepherd Hospice
Long Island, NY
Re: Response to Not Dead Yet, Nancy Berlinger (PlainViews, 6/4/08, Vol. 5, No. 9)
The one factor that demands our attention is caution in the use of the term "brain dead". There must be destruction of the brain stem as well as the cortex--in essence, the equivalent of being "decapitated". Thankfully, there are very sophisticated tests to determine if the patient in question is really dead.
Rabbi Louis J. Feldman, Ph.D.
Retired Chaplain
Board Member
Scholl Institute of Bioethics
Los Angeles, CA
Re: Response to "Bad Death" (PlainViews, 6/4/08, Vol. 5, No. 9)
In response to Jim Ek's letter defining death's ending in "cide" as filled with "self-doubt, worthlessness, void of meaning," I suggest we revisit Dorothy Soelle's excellent book, "Suffering" in which she defines suffering on several levels: physical, social, psychological, spiritual. It is a pain that has no words out of which emerged liberation theology.
I personally have never experienced that level of suffering, although I have witnessed it in many of my patients. As a bioethicist (University of Washington Medical School and UC Berkeley) who has sat on many ethics committees, I have written against assisted suicide although, along with Jensen, I recognize that "intractable pain" does exist and may in some instances justify euthanasia when palliative care is not enough. Fortunately, good hospice care can address many of these levels of pain. But, there are no categorical imperatives at the end of life.
I suggest that Mike may have been experiencing Soelle's definition of suffering. We don't know. We will never know. We can intervene, offer hope, comfort, be an Anam Cara for our patients. But we can't BE our patients. So I invite compassion, forgiveness and understanding that Mike's pain, his "suffering without words" is now over. We should not judge; that's God's job and I believe She wept with Mike.
Rev. Penelope A. Thoms, M.Div., M.A., BCC
Chaplain
Capital Hospice
Leesburg, Virginia
Report from the International Council on Pastoral Care and Counseling (ICPCC)
It is almost impossible to keep up with all of our day to day obligations, much less to stay in contact with International Organizations. As such, the ICPCC will begin to send short Updates every three to four months to keep you informed about our ongoing work and ministry.
The 8th World-Congress of the International Council on Pastoral Care and Counseling, ICPCC, took place in Krzyzowa, Poland from August 7th to 14th, 2007. The theme of the World-Congress was “Treasure in Earthen Vessels: Care of Souls facing Fragility and Destruction – individual and systemic perspectives.” There was also a very moving pre-congress held in Dresden, Germany whose title was “Siblings by Choice: Intercultural Empowerment Facing Global Processes of Conflicts by Story Telling, Research and Cooperation” that was organized and led by Professor Dr. Ursula Pfaefflin. The impetus of the pre-Congress was to enhance mutual knowledge among ICPCC members, and work toward ongoing networking.
The World-Congress was chaired by Professor Dr. Ursula Pfaefflin from Germany, and designed and organized by the Convenor of the Congress, Rev. Helmut Weiss, along with an extensive International (Central European) Planning Committee. The World-Congress was a great success!
The accounting and auditing of the World-Congress and Pre-Congress have been completed. The total flow of funds was more than 130.000 Euro! There is not space to thank all of our donors, but know that without your support and commitment this important event could not have taken place. We would like to say a special ‘thanks’ to grants from Scandinavia, to a group of private donors from Belgium, and to the Society for Intercultural Pastoral Care and Counselling (SIPCC) for attracting many grants.
The Previous Executive Committee decided to publish the Krzyzowa material; Helmut Weiß and Klaus Temme have taken responsibility for the editing. The launching of the 2 books is well under way. The German version will be printed in June, and the English version probably in July! More news will follow about price, and how to order the Books. [1]
Since then, we want to celebrate the retirement, from her teaching position, of our former President, Dr. Ursula Pfaefflin! She was honoured with a celebration, in Dresden, Germany, on March 28th, 2008, and the surprise publication of a book, Gerechtigkeit und Heilung (Justice and Healing), which includes chapters by various members of the ICPCC.
The new Executive Committee has been quite active since the World-Congress, dealing with questions of revising the Constitution, participation in International Conferences, and ensuring the ongoing life of the International Council. We count on your ongoing support!
James Farris
Publicity Officer
ICPCC
[1] Bibliographical information:
Helmut Weiss, Klaus Temme (Eds.) Treasure in Earthen Vessels, Intercultural Perspectives on Pastoral Care facing Fragility and Destruction , Bd. 6, 288 S., 24.90 EUR, br., ISBN 978-3-8258-1138-9.
Serie: ContactZone. Explorations in Intercultural Theology http://www.lit-verlag.de/reihe/ceit
Helmut Weiß, Klaus Temme (Hg.) Schatz in irdenen Gefäßen , Interkulturelle Perspektiven von Seelsorge angesichts von Zerbrechlichkeit und Zerstörung , Bd. 34, 288 S., 24.90 EUR, br., ISBN 978-3-8258-1137-2.
Reihe: Ökumenische Studien / Ecumenical Studies http://www.lit-verlag.de/reihe/oekstu
Re: Where God Calls Me in Japan, Kyoko Hamamoto (PlainViews, 5/21/08, Vol. 5, No. 8)
I was delighted to read Chaplain Hamamoto's article "Where God Calls Me in Japan". I had the opportunity to go to Japan in 2001 and work in that hospital with Chaplain Hamamoto. I was impressed with the quality of pastoral care I saw her provide, and realized that physical, emotional and spiritual pain are the same the world over. I still use examples of my brief but rich experience there in my ministry today. My experiences,too,like many of hers, were holy moments.
Larry M. Connelly, MDiv., BCC
Director of Spiritual Care Services
Piedmont Hospital
Atlanta, Ga
Re: Providing an Ear and an Open Heart, Sharon Frank (PlainViews, 5/7/08, Vol. 5, No. 7)
After reading last issues’ opening article by Rev. Sharon Frank entitled "Providing an Ear and an Open Heart" sharing her prayer to “release a dying baby back to God”, I feel compelled to share a simple prayer service that I created after the tragic death of a friend’s full-term baby boy during labor. As a result of being a part of this incomprehensible grief process, I was moved to create the following blessing / ritual, which I dedicate to Ronan Jack (born & died October 24, 2006) and hi
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